


Gathering Blessings

by orphan_account



Series: The Stressbaker'Verse [5]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Stressbaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 17:07:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/624542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2016: Blaine and Kurt have been together for five years, and now Blaine wants to propose. But first he needs to gather blessings from those Kurt holds dear.</p><p>A series of scenes detailing Blaine's preparations for his proposal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - June 2016

**Author's Note:**

> I'm English, this story might contain Anglicisms. I will try my best to clarify or remove any such language, but I cannot guarantee complete elimination.
> 
> This story was my first ever piece of Fanfiction, and so it is probably not to my usual standards, but have a look through anyway.
> 
> Character Exploration Exercise

Blaine has spent five years preparing for this moment. And now feels like the perfect time to ask the single most important question of his life.

"We've been through so much, together, Kurt. And I hope there'll be many more experiences to follow. With that in mind, I have just one question to ask. Kurt Elijah Hummel - will you marry me?"

He expected that he'd be nervous in this moment - that went without saying - but he had no idea just how nerve-racking it would actually be.

Blaine had reserved the ring about six months ago, at Kurt's favourite jeweller's in the city. Kurt would spend ages in the window every time they walked past the shop, and Blaine was certain the ring would be received well.

He was ready to propose as soon as he'd reserved it, but something stopped him.

He needed the approval of everyone Kurt held dear.

Six months he'd spent, tracking down the people who had been important to Kurt's life, and asking for their blessing. It wasn't easy, but he knew he had to do it.


	2. Burt, Carole and Finn - January 2016

The sound of tires against gravel woke Blaine from his daydream, as Kurt expertly drove the Navigator onto the Hudson-Hummel driveway. They'd made this trip hundreds of times before, yet Blaine had never been more nervous in his life. He tried not to let it show, but Kurt was perceptive.

"You okay, baby? You've been distracted all the way here." Kurt reached across the centre console to squeeze Blaine's hand reassuringly.

"I'm fine," Blaine lied, "just worrying about how much work I have to catch up on."

They quickly got themselves out of the car, and made their way to the door. Kurt rang the doorbell and then stepped back to take Blaine's hand. Almost immediately, the door flew open, and Finn beamed at the guests.

"THEY'RE HERE!" he shouted into the house, before grabbing Kurt and pulling him in for a hug. The force threw Blaine forward into the house, and out of Kurt's grasp. Kurt just laughed quietly, and leaned into the embrace. A good ten seconds passed before Blaine coughed forcefully. Sheepishly, Finn pulled away from his brother.

Blaine extended his hand to Finn, and he took it firmly, before pulling Blaine in for a (much shorter) hug.

They stood in the hallway awkwardly for a few seconds, before Finn took control.

"Come in, come in. I think mom and dad are in the living room"

Before they could explore further, Burt appeared from the top of the stairs, and nearly bounded down the stairs towards them. He pulled Kurt in for a quick hug, and messed up Blaine's hair affectionately.

"How've you guys been? It feels like ages since we last saw you!"

Kurt didn't have time to respond before Carole came in from the kitchen, and pulled both Kurt and Blaine in for a group hug. Finn and Burt exchanged nods before both joining into the hug.

"I forgot just how mad my family can be" Kurt mumbled to himself.

Blaine laughed, "Awww, they just missed you. You know how much you mean to them!"

The rest of the day was a little less manic. Burt and Carole questioned Blaine and Kurt extensively about their time in New York, and they exchanged anecdotes about their respective lives. After a couple of hours, Blaine realised that Kurt was falling asleep in his arms.

"I think someone might be tired. I guess it's to be expected, you've been driving for ten hours."

Kurt mumbled something akin to "I'm fine"

"Come on, Kurt, let's go to bed. Goodnight Burt. Goodnight Carole. Finn." He nodded his head at each in turn before pulling Kurt up from the sofa and wrapping his arm round Kurt's waist.

Kurt looked over his shoulder to mumble his goodnights, before they disappeared up the stairs.

* * *

When Blaine awoke the next day, he was disappointed to find his arms empty. He reached across for Kurt's warm body, but found nothing but emptiness. He slowly got up, and looked to his bedside table. A smile spread across his face as he found a note written in his boyfriend's elegant hand.

_Blaine,_

_You're too adorable to wake up, so I've left you this note_

_I'm going out for the day with the New Directions girls. I know you had plans anyway._

_Have fun with The Warblers, and text me later._

_I love you,_

_Kurt._

_Xxx_

After showering and getting dressed, Blaine looked across at the time.

"11:30 – wow, I slept in for a long time! At least I still have the afternoon ahead of me"

Blaine was relieved that Kurt had gone out. He didn't really have a meeting with the former Warblers today, but he needed to find a way to encourage Kurt to go out. As it happens, his plan worked splendidly.

He took in a deep breath, and descended the stairs to enter the living room. As he expected, Burt, Carole and Finn were all in there.

"Morning Blaine" Finn said absently, eyes fixed on the TV screen.

"Morning everyone" Blaine acknowledged, as he sat down in an armchair at the side of the room. He looked across to see an action movie on the TV, and chuckled lightly to himself at how fixated Finn was. The film ended not long afterwards, and Burt started up a conversation.

"How are you today, Blaine?" He asked.

"I'm good thanks. Definitely well rested." There was a pause before Blaine continued. "Actually, I'm glad you're all here – I need to speak to all three of you."

As if the motion had been choreographed, Burt, Carole and Finn all snapped their heads towards Blaine, giving him their undivided attention.

Blaine swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat.

"What's the problem, hun?" Carole asked, softly, but with an almost accusatory tone.

"I just wanted to talk to you all about Kurt." Blaine began.

The room remained deafeningly silent.

"I hope you're not about to break up with him, Blaine. Do I need to remind you that I own a shotgun?" Burt shifted forwards slightly in his seat, a threatening tone in his voice.

Blaine swallowed harder, before forcing himself to continue.

"Def- Definitely not, Sir. I love Kurt more than anything. In fact, I wanted to ask you all something. We- We've been together for nearly five years now, and I have no concerns in saying that I love him. But…" Blaine hesitated.

"But…?" Finn prompted.

"But… I feel that we're ready to make a bigger commitment." He turned his attention to Burt, whose face was as unreadable as ever. "Sir. I'm in love with your son. He's the most compassionate, beautiful, moral person I've ever met, and even now he amazes me with his kind heart and pure soul. That's why I want to ask all three of you…"

Blaine paused yet again, willing his mouth to form the words. No-one prompted him this time. Carole held tightly onto Finn and Burt's hands, and they all leaned closer, waiting to hear the words.

"… I wanted to ask for you blessing… Do I have your blessing to marry Kurt."

The silence rang around the room, and Blaine closed his eyes, waiting for the response.

"Blaine…" Burt began "… I love Kurt more than anything, and it's my job as his father to protect him from making bad choices. For that reason alone, I'm afraid I'll have to…"

Blaine's eyes began to water and he forced himself to open them and stare into Burt's.

"… I have to say yes." Burt finished. "Yes, you may marry Kurt. When he first met you, kid, he didn't have anyone who knew what he'd been through. He didn't trust anyone with his secrets and his life. He was lonely. And then he met you. And he changed. He stopped being so scared of the world, and his life was suddenly filled with joy. You saved his life, Blaine. And I can never repay you for that. You deserve him. You make him happy, and I can see how much you love him. So yes. You can marry him."

Blaine didn't notice he was crying until Carole came and pulled him into a hug. Burt simply ruffled his hair again, and he and Carole left the room so that Blaine could compose himself. No-one seemed to notice that Finn hadn't moved from the edge of his seat.

"Dude…" Blaine was startled by Finn suddenly speaking, but forced himself to focus.

"Dude. I approve. Even I can see that you two belong together, and it would be impossible for me to deny it. But if you ever break his heart, you'd better run into hiding. I love you like a brother, Blaine. But if you do anything to hurt Kurt, you'll have to answer to me." Finn got up to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked down to see Blaine was reaching out to him.

"Thank you" he whispered. "But… don't tell anyone else about this?"

"Of course not – now, when are you going to ask Kurt? Can I be there? Can Rachel be there? Oh please let us watch!"

Blaine just chuckled, and shook his head. "In good time, Finn. I still have some preparations to make before I propose."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I have no idea how to write "normal conversation" Burt and Finn. In my headcanon, Finn's really over-excitable, and Burt's quite friendly and sociable, but it doesn't quite seem to fit. All I know is that they're both protective of Kurt. Importantly, though, I try not to rely too heavily on Canon!Finn - Canon!Finn is a bit of a douchebag, and I see him as having more heart than that.


	3. Rachel and Mercedes - February 2016

"It still amazes me how similar this place is to the Lima Bean" Kurt said as they stood in line at their local coffee shop.

"Next" the barista called in a bored monotone, but she perked up when she saw the boys approach the till. "Ah, Kurt and Blaine! You won't believe how glad I am to see you. How are you?"

"Hi, Angela! We're doing good. How are you doing?" Blaine was bouncing on the balls of his feet, like an excited puppy.

"Ah, can't complain. This job's still as boring as hell, but at least we have some interesting regulars. What can I get for you?"

"I don't know… We don't usually come here, so it's so hard to decide…" Blaine teased, as Angela rang their regular into the register.

"That's $9.40." She read back, without even bothering to confirm the order. Blaine handed over the exact change. "What are you two doing here, anyway? You don't normally stop by on a Saturday afternoon."

Blaine, Kurt and Angela moved down the bar as Angela started preparing their coffees.

"We're meeting up with some old friends." Kurt offered, twisting his hands together nervously. "It's been a couple of months since we saw them – I just hope they're still crazy as ever!"

"There you go." Angela passed over a grande non-fat mocha and a medium drip, and smiled at the boys. "Have fun with your friends, dears. And come back soon." She smiled, before her face returned to boredom as she greeted the next customer.

As they took their seats across from each other, at their usual table, the door to the coffee shop swung open, and Mercedes and Rachel strode in dramatically. Kurt was watching the spectacle, and rolled his eyes fondly at his friends' antics. Kurt and Blaine stood up to greet them both.

"How's it going, white boys? It's been too long!" Mercedes pulled them both into a hug and the three of them giggled together.

"Ah, Mercedes, it's so good to see you!" Kurt gushed, relaxing into the hug.

Mercedes released the couple before Rachel felt left out, and Rachel almost fell over at the combined force of her old gay best friends launching at her.

"RACHEL!" Blaine shouted as he attacked her. Once they'd all released each other and taken their seats, there was a comfortable silence, before all four of them fell about laughing.

They were in fits for a good minute before they calmed down.

"So, guys. How's life been for you? Still enjoying the big city, I see?" Rachel tried to ease into a conversation.

"We've nearly been here four years, and yet I still get so happy that I can walk down the street holding this beautiful guy's hand" Kurt gushed, taking Blaine's arm.

Blaine blushed as Rachel, Mercedes and a family on a nearby table all said "Awww".

"But seriously, we're both doing great! Kurt's already got an internship at a designer's studio, and I'm still dragging my way through college. But how are you two? I heard that you got a minor role Off-Broadway, Rachel? And Mercedes, didn't I hear you backing singing to Adele on the radio the other week?" There was a hint of pride in Blaine's voice as he talked about his friends' achievements, and all four of them giggled softly, as Rachel and Mercedes nodded softly

"It's been amazing, Blaine. Really! I've had recording gigs across the country, so my college courses have been mostly long-distance, but I never thought I'd get the chance to break into the business." Mercedes paused, as if contemplating her next words. "Can I tell you guys a secret, as my three closest friends?"

All three of them nodded.

"My manager said he wants to work on a solo deal for me! I was like – 'HELL YES!'. I'm so excited."

"Wow! That's incredible, Mercedes! Congratulations!" was the response, but none of them was entirely sure who had said which part.

The conversation turned to Rachel's part Off-Broadway, and she gladly took the conversation and ran with it. Mercedes and the boys listened politely as she rambled on about herself for what felt like hours, until Kurt's phone interrupted them.

"Oh, shit. Guys, I'm sorry, I've got to go to get to work now, apparently It's urgent. We'll catch up sometime soon, okay?" He leaned over and kissed Rachel and Mercedes on the cheek, before hugging them tightly. After softly kissing Blaine's lips, and adjusting his bowtie, he was out of the door.

"Okay, white boy, what's got you so distracted? I can tell from here that you're nervous about something." Mercedes accused as soon as the door swung closed.

Blaine nearly choked on his coffee. "Okay, Mercedes, you caught me. I really need to speak to both of you."

He took a deep breath before he continued.

"I really love Kurt – he means the world to me, and I can't imagine what I'd do if I didn't have him to brighten up my day. That's why I want to… I want to ask him to marry me." This elicited a shriek from the girls, and they both started hyperventilating. "But I need your blessing to go through with it. I want to know that you're okay with it."

"Hold up a minute, Blaine. You and I need to have a talk." Mercedes began. "You did NOT just ask that! Here's what you've got to know – you and Kurt are perfect for each other. Heck, he's thought the world of you since you first met. But that don't mean you can just waltz in here and ask for our permission. You gotta earn it, white boy!"

"I agree. I mean, when Finn first proposed to me…" Rachel started

"ENOUGH about Finn, Rachel. This is about Kurt and Blaine. Now, Blaine. Tell me about Kurt. What do you think of him?"

"Well…" Blaine hesitated, afraid of giving away too much, before pouring his heart out. "He's perfect. He's amazing. Not a day goes by that I don't look across at him and feel so lucky that I get to call him mine. He's so selfless, and polite. He has a wicked sense of humour, too, and he's never afraid to be himself. Most of all, though, he's taught ME how to be MYSELF. And I love him more than anything. I'm in love with him." Blaine gushed, almost in one breath. When he'd finished, his face was purple, and his lungs felt like they were about to collapse.

There was a tense silence as Mercedes and Rachel seemed to contemplate his answer.

"Okay. I approve." Mercedes finally announced.

Blaine's eyes wandered over to Rachel, and he braced himself for a new round of interrogation.

"Rings?" she questioned. Blaine raised his eyebrow. "What engagement ring are you going to get him?" she clarified

"You know the family jeweller's on East Sixth? Every time we walk past, he looks in the window there, and he's always gushing over a different piece of jewellery. So I put a ring on reserve from there. It's a white gold band with a line of spinel gems – to match the blue in his eyes when he and I…" Blaine paused… "To match the blue in his eyes when he looks at me lovingly." He tried to recover.

Mercedes and Rachel looked at each other for a minute, before bursting into fits of laughter. Blaine's cheeks burned red, as he realised his meaning had been all too clear.

"Oh, white boy. I hope you didn't tell Carole about that part!"

"I suppose there's a level of thought behind that ring" Rachel mused. "Okay, you can marry him. Just be warned. Mercedes and I have no qualms about calling a hitman if you ever hurt him."

"Thank you" Blaine mumbled, still embarrassed at his previous slip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite how badly I wrote the Hudmels, I actually like writing for Mercedes, although again I don't feel I do her credit. Rachel is so difficult to write for – you have to tread that fine line between diva and self-obsessed cow. So I decided that Rachel could just have reported speech, most of the time. [Cheaters' way out]
> 
> I originally wrote this chapter with Single!Rachel, but Finchel sort of happened.


	4. Puck

"Listen, dude. I know we've had our ups and downs, but I really am glad we became friends by the end of senior year... I sort of admire you, in a way - you manage to get up every day, despite what the bullies try and do to you. You and Kurt." Puck finished his heartfelt speech, and took a deep breath. Blaine stared at the phone in shock, unable to form a sentence

"Sorry, I'm just a bit pissed off. What did you actually call for? I mean, I enjoy talking to you and all, but you sound a bit nervous. Is everything alright? Is it Kurt?"

Blaine sprang into action at Kurt's name. "It is Kurt actually." He began, tapping his fingers against the arm of the settee nervously.

"You didn't dump him did you?" Puck's voice turned accusative and protective, Blaine smiled nervously - he'd always been impressed by Puck's self-ascribed 'big brother' status to the New Directions.

"No, not at all. I just wanted to ask your permission for something."

"My permission? Dude, if you and Kurt are having sex that's none of my business, you don't need my blessing! And I really don't wanna know. That's not something Puckasaurus needs on his mind."

Blaine shifted uncomfortably, a laugh threatened to leave his mouth forcefully, but he successfully stifled it.

"No, I actually wanted to ask for your permssntmryhm." He mumbled down the line.

"Blaine, dude, I'm not the smartest guy ever, but even  _I_  know that you have to actually SAY the words if you want to be heard."

"I want to marry him!" Blaine forced out before he could try to take it back.

"That's more like it. Well - I give my blessing" Blaine sighed in relief. "But if you EVER break my boy's heart, I swear I will have no mercy when I track you down and shoot you through the head. Did Burt tell you about his shotguns?"

Blaine remained in stunned silence.

"Now, listen, dude..." Puck's voice faltered slightly, but he tried to get it back. "I'm happy for you both. You deserve each other - you deserve someone to make you happy." He broke down. "After all the shit you were put through... After all the shit  _ **I**_ put you guys, and people like you, through." He cleared his throat. "Just... take care of him, Blaine."

Blaine couldn't get his words together, after that display of emotion, but he managed to mutter a quiet "Thank you" before he heard a key in the door.

"Anyway, I've got to go" Puck eventually said. "I'll see you soon dude. And if not, I'll see you at the wedding! And thanks for asking me. It... it means a lot. Laters"

The line went dead before Blaine had a chance to respond, and the phone disappeared from his hand before he knew what was happening. He felt arms wrap around from the back of his neck, and the pressure of a chin in his hair.

"Hey baby," Kurt whispered seductively into his ear, sending shivers down Blaine's spine. "Who was on the phone?"

"Mmmm" Blaine moaned at the breath on his neck... "I was just catching up with Puckasau- erm... Puck"

Kurt released Blaine, who whimpered at the loss of contact. He walked slowly around the armchair, and settled himself into Blaine's lap, resting his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"I missed you today." Kurt said as he settled. "I was waiting all day so I could come home and do this." And with that, he moved his hand below the waistband of Blaine's capris. The shudder in Blaine's breath resonated in Kurt's ears, and he pulled his head up to meet Blaine in a passionate kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried a few different things here. I think Puck is quite easy to write - I find him to be quite versatile, and he can easy jump from Protective to Emotional.
> 
> This piece very nearly descended into smut, but I felt it would be best to cut it off. I'm a cockblock, I know.
> 
> I love Sexy!Kurt
> 
> ADDED ON TRANSFER:  
> I notice that my earlier notes are about "What the characters can be made to do" rather than "What the characters do."  
> Interesting.


	5. Brittany and Santana - April 2016

As his car pulled up outside the mansion, Blaine couldn't help but feel confused. Santana had always said she was from Lima Heights Adjacent,  _¡un lugar donde pasan cosas malas!_  Yet here he was, in the neighbouring affluent suburb of Lima Heights,  _¡un lugar para los coños ricos!_

He drove his car onto the driveway, admiring the Mercedes to his left and the Bentley to his right. He shook his head in amusement at Santana's ability to deceive her friends for all these years.

Cautiously, he approached the front door, and took a deep breath before ringing the bell.

He waited.

And waited.

It had been 2 minutes, and he decided to ring again.

After a further 30 seconds, the door flew open, and a red-faced Santana stood there in the top Kurt bought for Brittany two Christmases ago. Her long-sleeved top was accompanied by a pair of booty shorts, and her hair was matted and wild, as if she had just woken up. Blaine smirked until he saw the expression on Santana's face. She was gritting her teeth.

Blaine swallowed forcefully.

Santana tried to soften her scowl, and finally spoke. "Blaine! We thought you weren't coming for at least another hour! Well, you're here now - come."

She gestured towards the living room, and Blaine navigated his way into the grand room. As he took a seat on the settee, Brittany waltzed through the door.

"Hey! It's the curly dolphin!"

Blaine laughed heartily at his friend, and stood up to give her a quick hug. Brittany sat on Santana's lap on the loveseat across from Blaine, and then looked at him expectantly.

"So, hobbit, what did you want to speak to us for?" Santana prompted.

"Erm... yeah... Boy, this doesn't get any easier to ask... So, I was wondering if you guys would be okay with... me marrying Kurt. I wanted to get your permission before I asked him and..." he trailed off and looked up at the girls across from him.

"Oh Blaine! Of course! You're going to make beautiful dolphin babies!" Brittany squealed, and came across the room to steal another hug from Blaine.

Santana waited until Brittany had broken away before she spoke. Her expression was unreadable, and Blaine realised he wasn't adequately prepared for her to scream at him.

Eventually, she broke the tension.

"Yes." She said simply.

Blaine nearly choked.

"Thank you! THANK YOU!" he exclaimed, until the look on Santana's face told him to calm down.

"But here's the deal. You can marry Lady Lips, but you be warned. If you EVER do anything to hurt him, you'll have me to answer to. Do you understand me?"

There was silence, but Blaine managed to nod furiously.

"Good. Now, I was going to ask you to stay, but Brit and I were interrupted, so we have unfinished... business to attend to. You can see yourself out."

And with that, Santana dragged her girlfriend out of the room and back up the stairs.

It wasn't until Blaine got back into his car that he managed to let his laughter consume himself, and he pulled out of the driveway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never actually studied spanish properly, but I do know some basics... oddly, my "basics" seem to include such phrases as "¡los coños ricos!".   
> And yes, this is my contribution to the "Santana Lopez no es de Lima Heights Adjacent, donde pasan cosas malas. Ella es de Lima Heights, un lugar para los coños ricos." theory.
> 
> Santana - alright, she's okay to write for, but I don't feel I can do her justice, tbh. Brittany is very difficult. It's very difficult to strike a balance between ditzy, childlike and plain stupid. And her non-sequitur is just impossible.
> 
> Actually... this chapter is rather crap.


	6. Mollie Hummel - May 2016

Blaine trod softly and slowly across the dewy grass. His gaze was fixed on the horizon as the sun set, bathing the sky in hues of orange and purple.

He let his mind wander as he walked, his feet knowing the route to take.

His thoughts were filled by his boyfriend - his scent, his skin, his sexy voice, his cutting sarcasm. Blaine could never find a single word to sum him up, so he concluded that he was just "Kurt".

Blaine stood silently, staring at the headstone for a moment, then knelt down in front of the grave, tracing the name as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

_Mollie Melrose Hummel_

_It's silly_ , he chastised himself,  _you never knew her, and you come here all the time. You shouldn't be crying at this._

And yet, he felt that he did know Mollie. Kurt embodied all the good of both of his parents. After all of the stories he'd heard from Kurt and from Burt over the past five years, he felt that he could write a biography.

Blaine was never close to his own family, but he couldn't imagine what would happen if one of his parents had died when he was as young as Kurt was.

But here he was, at his future mother-in-law's graveside. He didn't believe in God, and he didn't know what came after death, but sometimes he felt that Mollie could hear him when he came to see her. And he knew that it would mean the world to Kurt that Blaine tried to get his mother's permission. It was the small shred of spirituality that they both held onto.

"Hello again, Mrs Hummel," Blaine began softly. "It's Blaine. I know it's been a long time since I came to see you. I'm sorry about that. It's just me today. Kurt doesn't know I'm here."

Blaine cleared his throat and wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes. For a couple of minutes, he tried to form a coherent sentence, but his words failed him.

He reminded himself why he was doing this - for Kurt. Eventually he managed to gather his thoughts and continue.

"Kurt is the love of my life." Blaine simply stated.

"I don't think I'd be around today without him. And I'm not sure that he would either. We've both been through so much. And when I crumbled he was always there to pick me up. I'd like to think that I do the same to him. I try my hardest."

Blaine took a shuddering breath, and his shoulders shook in a silent sob, as another couple of tears traced his cheekbones.

"I wanted to ask your permission for something. I know that Kurt would want me to, but this is about more than that. I wanted to do this. I still feel that you are an important part of Kurt's life... OUR life," he corrected himself, and let a small smile creep across his face.

"I love him." He repeated, and the smile broke into a wider grin.

"I love him so much, and I want to ask him to marry me."

He knelt there for a few seconds, staring with teary eyes at the name on the gravestone. Something inside of him lifted, and he felt that Mollie must have said yes.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small powder-blue velvet box.

"Burt helped me with the ring. Kurt had always been looking at a ring in the window of a small family jeweller's in the City. When I took Burt to see it, he explained why." He opened the box, and displayed it to the air in front of him.

Inside was a thin white-gold band, with three diamonds at the top - the centre one larger than the others.

"He explained that it reminded Kurt of your engagement ring. I bought it, but Burt gave me the box he used to propose to you. I know Kurt will love that. He's always been about his family."

"I don't want to handle it, because I think I might lose it in the grass here, but I had the inside engraved, too - 'My missing puzzle piece.' Kurt told you about how we met, didn't he?" Blaine laughed softly at the question and shook his head lightly. "Of course he did. I'm sure I have too."

He snapped the box shut, and replaced it. He sat there for a few minutes longer.

As he rose to leave, he felt a warm feeling inside. He knew that Mollie had said yes. And he knew she loved the ring.

Blaine's tears threatened to return once again, but he fought them back. He knew that he had found in Kurt's family what he had never had in his own.

He had found acceptance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter that I planned FIRST. It's the idea that inspired me to write this fic in the first place.
> 
> I flip-flopped on whether to incorporate "Mollie's spirit" at the end. I don't believe in spirits and souls and the afterlife, but I feel it would have been a good ending. (I wrote this A/N before writing the ending, so I still don't know if I end up including it.)
> 
> I think this chapter is mostly about developing Blaine's character.
> 
> I cried.


	7. Kurt - June 2016

"Tonight has to be perfect, Lu!" Blaine nearly screams at the webcam, as he paces in front of his computer.

"ZACHARY BLAINE ANDERSON!" He almost jumps out of his skin as his sister's face appears in a new box on the screen. "Kurt. Loves. You. You two have been like an old married couple since before you even got together!"

"Francey's right, Blaine! If you don't stop panicking, we're going to come down there and MAKE you calm down."

Blaine watches, bemused, as Lucy and Francey execute a perfectly-practised high-five on the Skype window, before their faces disappear. He slumps back onto the bed, and runs calloused hands over his face.

* * *

The next five hours run by in a blur, as Blaine transforms their one-bed apartment into a romantic venue befitting of his boyfriend.

In the living room, he lays down blankets on the floor and arranges the cushions into a makeshift couch, lighting candles around the room to create the atmosphere he desires. As he lowers the lights, he takes a moment to admire his handiwork - the flickering shadows on the walls, the warm glow in the air, all surrounding a nest. It feels spacious, but intimate - just as was planned.

Clearing the dining table is a Herculean effort, and Blaine feels the universe is out to get him when he realises the only empty shelf in the house is too high for him to reach. But eventually it is cleared of crap, and Blaine can set to dressing it. With some carefully placed candles, he manages to light the table without blocking the view across it or creating a fire hazard - he learnt his lesson from the first date he had with Kurt. Carefully, he drapes a delicate floral tablecloth over the bare wood; it's not the look he'd have gone for, personally, but Burt informed him that the fine linen was Mollie's favourite, and he knows Kurt holds it dear.

As he places the last knife on the table, there is a delicate knock on the front door, and Blaine nearly trips over his own feet to answer it. He pulls it open slowly, and his heart skips a beat. Kurt always looks good - the perfect mix of adorable and sexy that Blaine just cannot get enough of - but tonight, Kurt's outfit is pushing the boundaries of both. From his black jeans, that hug the curves of his ass just-so, to the white-gold chain around his neck, housing the locket he has prized since their first Valentine's day, Blaine cannot take his eyes of the image of perfection before him.

"Aa...a.. ass..." Blaine stammers out, before composing himself. But Kurt's chuckle has already taken purchase, and Blaine just hangs his head in shame.

"Come on, Blaine!" Kurt chides gently, linking his arm through his love's. "That's no way to start a romantic date."

Blaine sticks his tongue out as the last of Kurt's laughs die away, and they recompose themselves, settling into the moment, the mood and the feeling of the night.

"Can I show you to your table?" Blaine asks, softer than he intended.

* * *

The meal goes as well as could be expected for something prepared by Blaine. He made sure to prepare Kurt's favourite foods for the night, and his efforts are met with pure emotion - affection, adoration and slight amusement; exactly what he's come to expect. Exactly what he's learned to love.

The first course goes off without a hitch, they dine on a gazpacho soup of Blaine's own recipe. Blaine was ecstatic to hear that it had become Kurt's favourite starter, as it is about the only dish he can cook without aid. As he clears the dishes away, Blaine's certain he can hear Kurt sigh happily, and Blaine allows himself to preen a little.

Entranced in Kurt's eyes, and the conversation still flowing between them, Blaine doesn't notice the smoke billowing from out of the kitchen until Kurt draws his attention to it. Blaine panics that the night is ruined, as he pulls the remains of two prime fillets of salmon out of the oven. He rushes to the fridge to find a replacement main course, but is stopped in his tracks as he feels strong arms wrap around his waist, and a breath ghosting over his right ear.

"Don't worry about it, baby." Kurt whispers, sending a shiver down Blaine's spine. "We could always just move onto dessert."

Blaine lets himself relax backwards into Kurt's body, and he nods slightly.

The taller man unravels himself and presses a kiss to Blaine's temple, before sidling out of the kitchen.

Left to his own devices, Blaine pulls the cheesecake from out of the fridge, and carries it through to the dining room, pausing in the doorway only for a moment, to admire Kurt's body once again.

He carefully sets it down in the centre of the table, and cuts Kurt a large slice, and a smaller one for himself.

"I didn't have a clue about making cheesecake." Blaine confesses quietly, glancing up momentarily to look into Kurt's eyes. "This was about the twelfth one I made. I just wanted it to be perfect.

And once again, Blaine sees in Kurt's eyes the look that's so familiar to him. One simple glint that says "I can't believe you're mine. I love you", and yet says so much more as well.

Blaine knows in his heart that this is the man he wants to marry. And it's not until that moment that he remembers why he did all of this tonight.

* * *

As the final traces of the dessert disappear from Kurt's fork, the couple fall into a blissful silence, simply holding their gaze on each other's eyes.

Blaine glances away first, and deftly reaches into his pocket. Kurt is puzzled as to why Blaine broke the moment, but then he starts to speak - the same voice that he fell for on the staircase all those years ago.

As Blaine prepares to lay bare his heart and soul, a quiet tinkling of piano keys is heard over the speakers. They both smile as they recognise the song. Their song. Blaine prepared the arrangement of Teenage Dream for Kurt, not two weeks after they first met, but he was scared to ever play it until they moved to New York together.

"This night wasn't perfect, Kurt. But I don't think that really matters. I don't want to have perfect evenings when I can have evenings that are just... us."

Kurt smiles in the candlelight, the shadows highlighting the smoothness of his skin, as Blaine takes his hand from across the table.

"That's all I want. Us. I love you, Kurt. I love you more than I ever thought possible. When you stopped me on the stairs, I knew it in my heart - I wouldn't let myself believe it, but I knew that I would make you mine, someday. And when we started dating, everything felt right in the world.

"We've been through so much, together, Kurt. And I hope there'll be many more amazing experiences to follow. With that in mind, I have just one question to ask you..."

He expected that he'd be nervous in this moment - that went without saying - but he had no idea just how nerve-racking it would actually be. 'It's stupid' he tells himself 'there's nothing to be nervous about.'

Sliding out from his seat, and kneeling in front of Kurt, he takes a moment to kiss Kurt's wrist, before opening the box for Kurt to see.

"Kurt Elijah Hummel - will you marry me?"

There's a silence that can only have been a couple of seconds, but Blaine feels that they last for a lifetime. The air is tense as Blaine worries that Kurt might not say yes. 'It's stupid' he tells himself again.

"Yes..."

It's so quiet that Blaine is sure he made it up in his head, but when Kurt repeats it, and tears stream down his cheeks, Blaine knows that it wasn't just his imagination.

"YES!"

Kurt pushes Blaine away slightly, and kneels down in front of him so they are at the same height.

He takes firm hold of Blaine's free hand in both of his, and looks him deep in the eye.

"Zachary Blaine Anderson, I will marry you."

Blaine freezes for a moment before he lets a huge grin creep across his face, and he pulls Kurt in for a kiss.

Their lips move against each other effortlessly, as the passion and love is exchanged between them. The kiss is short, but heavy with meaning and emotion.

Blaine slides the ring onto Kurt's finger, and Kurt releases his grip to examine the jewellery closer. His breath catches in his throat and tears fill his eyes once again as the realisation dawns on him.

"You noticed." he whispers, brokenly, as Blaine scoops him up into his arms. Kurt presses his head into the crook of Blaine' neck, kissing it softly.

"I love you" they both murmur at the same time, as they relax into each other's embrace. After a minute, Blaine shifts slightly and carries his fiancé through to the living room, setting him down in the nest of blankets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can choose to decide the story ends here.
> 
> But there's an epilogue and eventually a weddingfic.


End file.
